"Former President Moon Will Not Escape Pitfalls After Leaving Office," Choi Seo-won of State Manipulation Scandal Criticizes Current Government Harshly

"Park, Did Not Accept Bribes... Truth Will Emerge in the Court of History"

Former President Park Geun-hye's 'secret power' Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil) [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Attorney Lee Kyung-jae, who is defending Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), known as the 'shadow power' behind former President Park Geun-hye, stated, "It is acknowledged by prosecutors, judges, the Supreme Court, and even reporters that former President Park did not receive bribes," adding, "The logic that because Choi received bribes, former President Park also did is a huge leap."

At a briefing held on the 9th at the Northeast Asia Law Firm office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Attorney Lee said, "If this legal reasoning is maintained in this way, President Moon Jae-in will also not be able to escape the trap of this legal reasoning after his retirement." He continued, "Didn't the Blue House officials frequently meet with secretaries during the Ulsan mayoral election as well?"

On the afternoon of the 9th, at the office of the Northeast Asia Law Firm in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Lee Kyung-jae, the lawyer who represented Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), is introducing the book at the press conference for the publication of Choi's memoir, "Who Am I." Photo by Yonhap News.

He criticized the special prosecution team led by Park Young-soo, which investigated the 'state affairs manipulation' case, calling it a "legal assault squad aimed at impeaching former President Park."

Regarding the application of legal principles to the charges against former President Park, Attorney Lee pointed out, "The legal reasoning of implicit conspiracy was invoked to apply bribery charges to former President Park and Choi, but how can there be an implicit conspiracy?" He added, "It was abused as a legal theory to overthrow political opponents."

He also claimed, "The ruling by Chief Justice Kim Myung-soo of the Supreme Court, which received the special prosecution's investigation, is a judicial decision of a temporary nature and cannot have permanence," adding, "The formal judicial procedures will soon end, but the truth will be revealed in the 'court of history' thereafter."

On the 8th, at Kyobo Bookstore Gwanghwamun Branch in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the memoir "Who Am I," written in prison by Choi Seo-won (formerly Choi Soon-sil), who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the "state corruption scandal," is on display. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

At the briefing, Attorney Lee also explained the background of Choi's recent book, Who Am I.

He said, "Choi thought it was necessary to provide materials that would allow her to be judged fairly," and added, "This book is named Ho-gi (悔悟記), meaning a record of repentance and enlightenment, to signify that it goes beyond a simple memoir reflecting on the past and contains lessons learned from it."

Choi was identified as the main culprit in the state affairs manipulation case and was indicted and detained following a prosecution investigation. Subsequently, the special prosecution team led by Park Young-soo was launched, and she was additionally indicted on charges including bribery. In February, she was sentenced to 18 years in prison, fined 20 billion won, and ordered to pay 6.3 billion won in fines in the retrial, and is awaiting the Supreme Court's final decision on the 11th.